The Delaware 87ers came into existence in April as the D-League’s 17th franchise and will make their debut against the Charge on Saturday in Canton.

The 87ers are the affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers. The franchise’s operating rights were previously held by the Utah Flash, who went on hiatus two years ago. The 87ers are based in Newark, Del. and are one of six D-League franchises, along with the Charge, to be fully owned and operated by an NBA team.

BLASTS FROM THE PAST

Some familiar faces are roaming the D-League:

Ricky Davis, forward, Erie BayHawks

WHY YOU KNOW HIM: For all the wrong reasons, including his infamous attempt at a triple-double by shooting and missing at his own team’s basket to gain a rebound.

Davis gives the D-League a second try after playing there two years ago. A high-flying, high-scoring player for much of his career, the now 34-year-old Davis needs to be the kind of leader he couldn’t be in his younger days. He doesn’t own the same athleticism as the good, old days, but he’s got some game left. The 6-foot-7 wing scored 11 points in each of Erie’s two exhibition games, making 8 of 15 shots overall.

For the record, Davis made almost $43 million in his NBA days according to Basketball-reference.com.

Josh Howard, forward, Austin Toros

WHY YOU KNOW HIM: The 10-year NBA vet played his best basketball with the Dallas Mavericks, peaking in 2007-08 when he averaged 19.9 points and 7.0 rebounds.

Now 33, he’s making a go of it with the Toros. According to Basketball-reference.com, Howard made more than $40 million in his NBA career.

Chris Porter, forward, Fort Wayne Mad Ants

WHY YOU KNOW HIM: Remember the high-flying dude with the afro who starred for those good Auburn teams in the late 1990s? Yep, that was Porter.

Now 35, Porter begins his second year in the D-League. He averaged 4.9 points and 3.7 rebounds in 34 games last season with the Mad Ants.

Jamario Moon, forward, Los Angeles D-Fenders

WHY YOU KNOW HIM: The 6-8 Moon was at his best when catching alley-oops from LeBron James with the Cavs from 2009-11.

He’s played 27 combined games with the D-Fenders over the past two seasons.

Bill Walker, forward, Sioux Falls Skyforce

WHY YOU KNOW HIM: He was the gravity-defying sidekick to O.J. Mayo when North College Hill in Cincinnati was winning state championships.

He’s never found a home as a professional after playing at Kansas State.

Page 2 of 3 - YOUNG GUNS

Fresh out of college, these guys could make an immediate impact in the D-League.

Name, D-League team (college)

CJ Leslie, Erie (NC State)

• Versatile 6-9 forward could do damage on this level.

Pierre Jackson, Idaho (Baylor)

• Waterbug guard is hard to contain.

Romero Osby, Maine (Miss. State/Oklahoma)

• Rugged 6-8 forward is a tad short for NBA, but could be beast in D-League.

• Canton native and McKinley great Phil Hubbard is an assistant coach with the Santa Cruz Warriors.

• Former Kentucky Wildcats guard DeAndre Liggins is with the Sioux Falls Skyforce. It was Liggins who helped end Canton’s season last year while on assignment with Tulsa from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Not known as a shooter/scorer, Liggins scored 24 points and inexplicably hit 5 of 6 3-pointers in a 100-98 Tulsa win in a decisive Game 3 of a first-round playoff series. Liggins was waived by OKC in September after felony domestic violence charges, then drafted seventh overall by the Skyforce earlier this month.

• Maine has explosive guard Jermaine Taylor, who was in training camp with the Cavs. He’s averaged 18.4 points in 30 career D-League games, including a 34-point outburst in Canton last season on March 20.

• Former Cavaliers forward Luke Walton is an assistant coach with the Los Angeles D-Fenders.

• Two former Ohio State Buckeyes are in the D-League. Guard William Buford was the 11th overall pick of the draft by Santa Cruz earlier this month. The former Ohio Mr. Basketball from Toledo played in Spain’s top league last year. Solon product Dallas Lauderdale is back with Idaho after missing all of last year because of injury. Lauderdale spent his first season out of Ohio State (2011-12) playing professionally in Poland.

CHARGE TIES

D-League players with Charge ties:

Micheal Eric, Texas: Came to the Charge last year after being in training camp with the Cavs and had some good moments, averaging 8.1 points and 7.6 rebounds.

Marcus Hubbard, Springfield: Athletic big man came to Canton in 2011 from old New Mexico franchise, then stunned Charge at end of training camp by saying he didn’t want to play.

Page 3 of 3 - Jamine Peterson, Sioux Falls: Nicknamed “Greedy,” the talented but out-of-shape Peterson came to the Charge from the old New Mexico franchise but never played in a game and was traded early in the season.

Titus Robinson, Fort Wayne: Made it to Canton’s training camp last year from open-player tryouts and was one of the Charge’s final cuts.

Terrance Thomas, Fort Wayne: Affable veteran from Baylor is the ultimate good guy and played in 17 games for Canton in 2011-12 after midseason trade.